How to Apply to the PhD in Nursing & Health Science Program

Applying to the PhD in Nursing & Health Science Program at the University of Rochester

The University of Rochester School of Nursing uses a comprehensive, holistic review process during which each applicant receives individual consideration. For the PhD in Nursing & Health Science program, we seek applicants who:

• are highly motivated and prepared to pursue the rigorous program of study
• demonstrate strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to conceptualize
• want to pursue a program of research consistent with faculty research areas
• show leadership potential, and
• are committed to upholding the values of the school and profession

For the MS-PhD Combined program, we also seek applicants who clearly understand the master’s specialty role to which they are seeking admission. Note: We are not currently accepting applications to the MS-PhD Combined program.

Application Deadline

We accept applications by January 15 to enroll students to the PhD in Nursing & Health Science program once per year, in the fall. Applications received after this deadline are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Program Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the PhD in Nursing & Health Science program:

• Master’s degree from an accredited school
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 from any graduate-level work
• Clinical licensure in a health profession, such as nursing, social work, or similar clinical practice field
• English language proficiency
• Statistics course with a grade of C or above

Applicants must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the MS-PhD Combined pathway*:

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited school (minimum GPA of 3.0)
• RN licensure from New York State
• Clinical experience if applying to one of the following nurse practitioner specialties:
  • AGACNP: one-year clinical experience in acute care
  • PNP/NNP: a master’s in maternal-infant/maternal-child health, or pediatrics; and two years NICU experience in the last five years
• English language proficiency
• Statistics course with a grade of C or above

*Note: We are not currently accepting applications to the MS-PhD Combined program.

Application Requirements

To complete an application for the PhD program, create an account and complete all sections of the application. Submit the following materials by completing within or uploading to your application portal.

• Official transcripts from all schools attended
• Three letters of recommendation from doctorally-prepared academics
• Current resume or CV
• Writing sample, consisting of 3-page academic paper from the most recently completed educational program; published articles or a master’s thesis are not accepted, and should instead be listed on the resume or CV
• Short-answer responses to a series of prompts within the application
• TOEFL, IELTS, or DET scores for applicants who are non-native English speakers

Detailed instructions can be found in the application portal. Learn more about how to complete the application and upload these materials.

Application Review Process

Once you complete your application, you may receive a follow-up email to schedule an interview with members of the PhD faculty, including the PhD Program Director.

We look forward to reviewing your application!